Signaling apparatus.



H. G. BROWN.

SIGNALING APPARATUS, APPLICATION FILED NOV. 11, 1912.

1,233,443. v Patented July 1?, 1917.

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' circult also ncluding one circuit of a controlling dev 1ce, v n so related to the first circuit that when sup- ENGLAND.

This invention relates to signaling apparatus of the kind in which'the signal indications are controlled by an electric current which is preferably although not exclu sively alternating or lpulsatory in character, and is more partic arly adapted for use with signaling devices more lamps preferably of different colors or arranged behind differently colored screens or lenses, the change in the signaling one or comprising two or the other of the lamps or sets of any suitable source. The invention ha improved arrangements for the control of which shall be more reliable in 0 eration than those hithertoemployed an which shall at the same time be simple and cheap to manufacture, install and maintain.

According to the present invention, one or the other of the lamps or other indicating devices of the si aling apparatus, preferabl that require to give a danger indication, is arranged to'be permanently connected in circuit with "a source of alternatpulsatory or continuous current, this another circuit of which is plied with current from the same or some other suitable source the action of the first circuit of the controlling device, as regards permitting current to pass through the other lamp-or indicating device of the apparatus, is neutralized or otherwise rendered inefiective. The current traversing the second circuit of the controlling device may also, if desired, 'be arranged to traverse the other lamp or indicatin device of the apparatus so as to give a different sigiiilf indication. In cases'in which the signaling apparatus is adapted to be operated b pulsatory currents and to w oh the present vention is especially applicable, the controlling device may take the form of an in- Speeification of Letters Patent.

indication being effected by supplying lamps with electric current derived fromfor its object to provide signaling apparatus of the above character alternating or UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;-

HABOLD GILBERT BROWN, OF WESTMINSTER, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOB T0 McKENZIE HOLLAND & WESTINGHOUSE POWER SIGNAL COMPANY LIMITED, 01 LONDON,

SIGNALING APPARATUS.

Patented July 17, 1917.

Application filed November 11, 1912. Serial No. 730,559.

' ductively upon the portion of the clrcuit constituted by the first winding either wholly or partly opposes the passage of current therein or diverts current from the lamp circuit through the first winding of the transformer.

In order that the nature of the invention may be clearly understood a preferred form of signaling apparatus embodying the invention as applied to the control of two signaling lamps operated by alternating current, will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which Figures 1 and 2 are diagrammatic views of different forms of circuit connections.

Referring now to Fig. 1, a signaling lamp adapted to emit a red light so as to give a danger indication is indicated at 1, and a similar lamp adapted to emit a green light is indicated at 2. The lamps 1 and 2 are arranged to be supplied with current from the secondary winding 3 of a supply transformer 4, the primary winding 5 of. which is connected to any suitable source of alternating current. The red signaling lamp' of the apparatus is as follows- When the block section of the track to winding 6 of a transformer 7 conwhich the signaling lamps 1 and 2 correspond is not occupied by a vehicle or train, signaling current cuit 11 energizes the relay 10 thereby maintaining the switch contacts 9 closed, the presence of a train or vehicle in the block section in question causing the relay 10 to be denergized and allowing the contacts 9 to open. Under the latter conditions the red traversing the track cirsignaling lamp 1 is supplied with current from the portion of the secondary winding 3 of the supply transformer 1 across which it is connected, the circuit through the pri- 'mary Winding 8 of the controlling device 7 I due to the current traversing-the primary winding 8, will be equal and opposite to the electro-motive force between those points in I the secondary winding 3 of the controlling transformer 4 to which the circuit containing the red signaling lamp 1 is connected. There will thus be impressed on this circuit two equal and opposite electro-motive forces, namely, one due to the transformerl and the other due to the controlling transformer 7, so that no current will traverse the secondary winding 6 of the latter, and the red signaling lamp 1 will consequently remain unilluminated; the green signaling lamp 2 on the other hand being traversed by the current on its own circuit will be illuminated and give a corresponding signal indication.

Referring now to Fig. 2 which shows a modification of the. arrangement above described, the red signaling lamp 1 is in this case connected in parallel with the secondary winding 6 of the controlling transformer 7 between suitable points in the secondary winding 3 of the supply transformer 4, the connections of the green signaling lamp 2 in series with the primary winding 8 of the controlling transformer 7 being the same as in the'system illustrated in Fig. 1.

The operation of this form of the invention is as follows.

So long as the relay 10 is deenergized the circuit of the green signaling lamp 2 will be open and current from the supply transformer 4: will pass through the red signaling lamp 1 and the secondary winding 6 of the Y controlling transformer 7 in parallel with one another. Owing, however, to the high inductive resistance of the winding 6, the

ate an electro-magnetic flux of such magnitude and phase in the magnetic circuit of the transformer 7, that the effective impedance of the secondary winding 6 will be neutralized, whereupon the current traversing the circuit containing the red signaling lamp 1 will almost entirely traverse the winding 6 of the controlling transformer 7 which thus practically serves to short-circuit the red signaling lamp 1 so that this lamp is not illuminated, the green signaling lamp 2 being illuminated by the current passing through the primary winding 8 to give a corresponding signaling indication.

A resistance 12 may if desired, be inserted in the circuit containing the red signaling lamp 1 in order to limit the current in this circuit when the lamp 1 is short circuited by the inductive action of the controlling transformer 7.

The signaling lamps are referred to in the above description as being two in number and as adapted to emit red and green light respectively, but it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the use of two lamps of the colors specified and may be arrangedv to control two or more sets of lamps or other indicating devices adapted to give. any desired signal indication. Furthermore, as will be readily understood, the controlling device 7 which is constituted by an inductive deviceor trans-i former in the alternating current systems above described may be replaced by a'shunt or other equivalent in cases in which the invention is applied to signaling systems employing continuous or; direct currents, the shunt being under these circumstances arranged to divert current from one of the signaling lamps or other indicating devices when a circuit controlled by the track sources of supply of continuous current for this purpose being constituted by batteries or otherwise.

Modifications in these and other respects may evidently the scope of the invention.

I claim as my inventions-, 1. In electric signaling apparatus, the combination of an indicating device, a source of voltage therefor permanently connected in circuit with said device, a current-transmitting device also connected to said source and modifying the current traversing said indicating device, and other means for impress-- ing voltage from said source upon said ourrent-transmitting device to vary the action of the latter without interrupting the circuit of the indicating device or that of the current-transmitting device.

2. In an electric signaling apparatus, the

combination of a source}; of current, an indi-' cating devlce permanently connected to said signaling circuit isclosed or opened, the

be made without exceeding source, a second indicatingdevice, a circuit of the latter device including said source,

device.

' indicating said means.

3. In electric signaling apparatus the combination of a plurality of indicating devices, a source of current therefor and a relay for diverting the current from one of said devices to another without' interrupting the circuit of the first mentioned device.

4. In electric signaling apparatus, the

source of voltage therefor permanently connected in circuit with said device, a currenttransmitting device also connected with said source and modifying the current traversing said indicating device, other means for impressing voltage from said source upon said current transmitting device to vary the action of the latter without interrupting the circuit of the indicating device or that of the current-transmitting device, and a second device included in circuit with 5. In electric signaling apparatus, the comblnation of an indicating device, a source of current therefor permanently con- I nected in circuit with said device, a currenttransmitting device also connected with said source and modifying the current traversing said indicating device, a second circuit receiving current from said source and including means for varying the action of said current-transmitting device without interrupting the circuit of the indicating device, and a relay controlling saidsecond circuit.

6. In an electric signaling apparatus the combination of an indicating device, a circuit including said device, a source of current permanently connected in the circuit, a second indicating device and means'for de- -livering operating current to said second indicating device for neutralizing the flow of current through the first device without interrupting the circuit.

7. In an electric signaling apparatus, the combination of a source-of alternating current, a signaling device, an operatingcircuit-therefrom including said source, an inductive resistance in said circuit, means electrically connected to said source for varying the resistance introduced into said circuit by said inductive resistance, and a relay for controlling the delivery of operating current to said means for sald source.

8. A train signaling apparatus compr sing a source of alternating current a slgnaling device, a circuit including sai source and said device, an inductive resistance in said circuit, a second circuit electrically connected to said source, means included in sald second circuit for varying the amount of resistance introduced in the first mentioned circuit by said inductive resistance, a relay for controlling the operation of said means, and a track circuit for controlling the operation of said relay.

9. In electric signaling apparatus the combination with an indicating dev1ce,'of a source of alternating current permanently connected therewith, a transformer device one winding of which is permanently connected in circuit with said' indicating device and a relay for impressing an alternatlng current voltage upon another winding of the transformer device.

10. In an electric signaling apparatus,the combination of an indicating device, a source of alternating current permanently electrically connected thereto, a transformer having one winding electrically connected to said indicating device, a relay for electrically connecting thesecond winding of the transformer to said source of alternating current, and a second indicating device in circuit with the second winding.

In testimony whereof I- have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARO LD GILBERT BROWN.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,2 3 3,443', granted July 17.,

upon the application of Harold Gilbert Brown, of Westminster, England, for an improvement in .Signa1ing Apparatus/f errors appear in theprinted specification" requiring correction as "follows: Page 3, line 2 claim 2, for the word of read for; same page, line 59, claim 7; for the word for read from; and that the said.

Letters Patent should be readwith these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice. i I Signed and sealed 29th day of January, A. D 1918. V

l A R. F.. WHITEHEAD,

Acting Commissioner of Pmm. 

